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Herodotus · Histories §7.200.1-7.200.2

The Pass of the Phoenix and Sanctuaries at Anthele

Passage 1263 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Explains the geographical location of the Phoenix river and describes the village of Anthele between the Phoenix river and Thermopylae, containing a temple of Demeter and facilities for the Amphictyonic League.

§7.200.1ἔστι δὲ ἄλλος Φοῖνιξ ποταμὸς οὐ μέγας πρὸς μεσαμβρίην τοῦ Ἀσωποῦ, ὃς ἐκ τῶν ὀρέων τούτων ῥέων ἐς τὸν Ἀσωπὸν ἐκδιδοῖ.
And there is another river, not large, to the south of the Asopus, called the Phoenix, which, flowing from these mountains, empties into the Asopus.
κατὰ δὲ τὸν Φοίνικα ποταμὸν στεινότατον ἐστί· ἁμαξιτὸς γὰρ μούνη δέδμηται.
And by the Phoenix river is the narrowest part; for only a single cartway has been built.
ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Φοίνικος ποταμοῦ πεντεκαίδεκα στάδια ἐστὶ ἐς Θερμοπύλας.
From the Phoenix river it is fifteen stades to Thermopylae.
§7.200.2ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ Φοίνικος ποταμοῦ καὶ Θερμοπυλέων κώμη τε ἐστὶ τῇ οὔνομα Ἀνθήλη κεῖται, παρʼ ἣν δὴ παραρρέων ὁ Ἀσωπὸς ἐς θάλασσαν ἐκδιδοῖ, καὶ χῶρος περὶ αὐτὴν εὐρύς, ἐν τῷ Δήμητρός τε ἱρὸν Ἀμφικτυονίδος ἵδρυται καὶ ἕδραι εἰσὶ Ἀμφικτύοσι καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Ἀμφικτύονος ἱρόν.
In the space between the Phoenix river and Thermopylae there is a village, to which the name Anthele is given, past which indeed the Asopus flows and empties into the sea; and there is a wide space around it, in which is established a temple of Demeter Amphictyonis, and there are seats for the Amphictyons, and a temple of Amphictyon himself.

Notes

  1. §7.200.1στεινότατον ἐστί — An impersonal expression with an implied neuter noun like χωρίον (place), meaning "it is the narrowest point" or "the passage is narrowest."
  2. §7.200.1ἁμαξιτὸς γὰρ μούνη δέδμηται — The adjective ἁμαξιτός (passable by cart) is used substantively with an omitted ὁδός (way). δέδμηται is the third-person singular perfect passive of δέμω (to build, construct).
  3. §7.200.2τῇ οὔνομα Ἀνθήλη κεῖται — The relative pronoun τῇ is in the dative case (dative of possession or interest). οὔνομα is the subject of κεῖται. The idiom ὄνομα κεῖταί τινι (a name is set for someone) functions as the passive equivalent of ὄνομα τίθημί τινι (to give a name to someone).

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.200.1-7.200.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.200.1-7.200.2

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